Flow inverter

ABSTRACT

A flow inverter is provided which is readily prepared from sheet- or plate-like elements.

United States Patent [191 Anand et al.

[451 Feb. 12,1974

1 1 FLOW INVERTER [75] Inventors: Joginder N. Anand, Midland;

Arthur F. Roche, Freeland, both of Mich.

[73] Assignee: The Dow Chemical Company,

Midland, Mich.

[22] Filed: Dec. 23, 1971 21 Appl. No.: 211,415

[52] US. Cl. 138/37, 138/39 [51] Int. Cl. F15d l/02, FlSd 1/06 [58]Field of Search 138/37, 39

[56] References Cited- UNlTED STATES PATENTS 3,128,794 4/1964 Boucher;138/37 2,553,141 5/1951 Maynard 138/37 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS891,212 3/1962 Great Britain 138/37 808,766 7/1951 Germany 138/37Primary ExaminerHerbert F. Ross Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Robert B.Ingraham 5 7] ABSTRACT A flow inverter is provided which is readilyprepared from sheetor plate-like elements.

7 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures FLOW INVERTER Flow inverters are employedwithin pipelines to effectively position the central part of a flowingstream adjacent the inner wall of' the pipe or conduit and to shift theouter portion of the incoming stream to a more central location. Typicalflow inverters are shown in US Pat. Nos. 3,128,794; 3,470,912 and3,470,913. For many applications it is undesirable to prepare flowinverters by casting or complex machining procedures.

It would be beneficial if there were available an improved flow inverterwhich could be readily prepared from sheet-like elements such as sheetmetal or plate with minimal machining or forming.

It would also be desirable if there were available a flow inverter inwhich there is provided almost any desired number of channels.

These benefits and other advantages in accordance with the presentinvention are achieved in a flow inverter, the flow inverter adapted tobe disposed within a conduit, the flow inverter comprising first andsecond generally planar elements, each of the planar elements definingat least a first or inner channel and a second or outer channel, theplanar elements being disposed in fixed spaced generally parallelrelationship with the first element inner channel generally opposite thesecond element outer channel and the first element outer channelgenerally opposite the second element inner channel, a generally annularstream divider affixed to and extending generally perpendicular to thefirst element and extending away from the second element, the flangeencircling the first element inner channel.

Further features and advantages of the present invention will becomemore apparent from the following specification taken in connection withthe drawing wherein: i

FIG. 1 depicts a stream inverting element in accordance with the presentinvention disposed within a conduit.

FIGS. 2, 3 and 4' depict components and a preform of the element of FIG.1.

FIG. 5 is an end view of an alternate embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 6 is a rear view of one half of the inverter of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view of the element of FIG. taken along the line7-7.

FIG. 8 is a sectional view of the inverter of FIG. 5 taken along theline 88.

In FIG. 1 there is depicted a partly cut away view of a stream invertingelement generally designated by the reference numeral 10. The streaminverting element 10 has a longitudinal axis A, and the element 10comprises a first generally planar flow deflecting element 11. Theelement 11 has the general configuration of a sector of a large circleor semicircle and a similar sector of a small circle joined at theirlinear edges. The element 1 1 has the first portion 12 having definedtherein a generally semi-circular or inner passageway 13 and a secondgenerally semi-circular portion 15 joined thereto. The element 11 has anouter channel or passage 16. A pair of locating or positioning tabs orprojections 17 and 18 form opposite corners of the element 11 andgenerally conform to projections of the arcuate edges of the element 1].Theelement 11 is disposed in a plane generally normal to the axis A. Asecond flow diverting ele ment 11a is disposed in generally parallelfixed relationship to the element 11. The configuration of the elementsl1 and 11a as depicted in FIG. 1 is generally identical and like partsare designated with like reference numerals. However, the parts ofelement 11a have a appended thereto. A spacing and internal passageforming means or body 21 is connected between the elements 11 and 11a.Conveniently, the body 21 is integral with the elements 11 and 11a andlies in a plane which is generally parallel to the axis A. A firststream or flow divider 23 is affixed to the element 11 remote from thebody 21. The divider 23 has a generally hollow cylindrical configurationand defines therein a passage 24 generally coaxially disposed relativeto the axis A. The divider 23 has a first end 25 remote from the element11 and a second end 26 affixed to the element 11. The passage 24 of theflow divider 23 communicates with the passage 13 of the element 11. Theelement 10 is'disposed within a conduit 28.

In operation of the stream inverting element 10 liquid flowing from leftto right in the conduit is divided by the divider 23 into two parts, aninner generally cylindrical core within the passage 24 and an exteriorgenerally annular portion disposed between the outer surface of thedivider 23 and the adjacent inner surface of the conduit 28. Material inthe passage 24 is discharged through the inner passageway 13 or firstinternal passage to occupy space between the upper surface of the body21 and the adjacent inner surface of the conduit 28 which in turn isdischarged from the outer passageway 16a of the element and flows aboutthe generally annular stream divider 23a to form a generally hollowcylindrical stream. The annular stream disposed between the divider 23and the conduit 28 flows through the outer passage 13 of the element 11and is disposed between the lower face of the body 21 and the inneradjacent surface of the conduit 28, which define a second internalpassage, from which the stream flows through the inner passage 13a ofthe element 11a and is discharged from the passageway 24a of the divider23a in an axially disposed cylindrical form. The action of the flowinverter 10 has been described in terms of flow from left to right;operation is the same if the direction of flow is reversed. Forapplications where frequent flow inversion is desired in a conduit, the'divider 23a may be omitted and a plurality of such elements stacked in aconduit wherein the first end 25 of the divider 24 is in contact withthe element 1 la of an immediately adjacent like element. The locatingtabs or projections, such as the tabs 16, 17, 16a and 17a are employedwith benefit to engage the inner surface of a conduit such as theconduit 28 to prevent tilting of the axis of the flow inverting elementrelative to the axis of the conduit in installation where the invertersare not welded or otherwise attached to the surrounding conduit.

In FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 are shown the components and a preform of theinverter 10. FIGS. 2 and 4 show the flow dividers 23 and 23a whichconveniently are formed from prefabricated tubing or bent fromrectangular sheet. FIG. 3 depicts a cut sheet or preform 21b from whichthe elements 11 and 11a and the body 21 of the element 10 are readilyformed by appropriate bending along the dotted lines.

In FIG. 5 there is depicted an end view of an alternate flow dividergenerally designated by the reference numeral 40. The divider 40comprises two identical body portions, both numbered 41. Therelationship of the two body portions 41 is shown in FIGS. 7 and 8. Eachof the body portions 41 has a generally plate-like configuration. Thebody portions 41 define a flow dividing means 43 having a generallycircular configuration. The body portions 41 define a first inneropening in the passageway 45 and a second inner passageway 46. Thepassageways 45 and 46 are generally symmetrically disposed about thecenter of the body 41 and are encircled by the flow divider 33. The body41 has flow defleeting surfaces 48 and 49 disposed between the passages45 and 46. The body 41 has a generally external mounting flange 51 ofcircular configuration. The body 41 adjacent the flange 51 defines aconduit receiving recess 53. In communication with the conduit receivingrecess is a sealing means or O-ring 54 adapted to sealably engage theconduit terminus. A pair of second or external passages 55 and 56 aredefined in the body external to the flow divider 43. The passages 55 and56 are disposed generally between the passages 45 and 46. Between thepassages 55 and 56 are external flow deflecting surfaces 57 and 58. Fourrecesses 61a, 61b, 61c and 61d are defined by the body 41 remote fromthe flow divider 43 by generally diametrical ribs or spacing means 62and 63.

FIG. 6 depicts a rear view of the body 41 showing the sector-likeconfiguration of the recesses 61a, 61b, 61c and 61d.

In FIGS. 7 and 8 there is depicted a sectional view of the flow divider40 taken along the lines 7-7 and 8-8 of FIG. 5, respectively. The bodyportions 41 remote from the flow divider 43 define an O-ring or sealingmeans receiving groove 65 and first and second indexing recesses 66 and67 adapted to receive a pin or locating means such as the pins 68 and 69in order to provide positive location of the body portions 41 relativeto each other. The body portions 41 have an identical configuration. Theportions 41 can be considered to be in back-to-back relationship androtated 90 relative to each other. Adjacent recesses 61 within theadjacent body portions 41 form generally sector-like cavities orinternal passages providing communication between the outer and innerpassages of different body portions 41. The recesses .61 within eachbody portion 41 are generally isolated from each other by one of theribs 62 or 63. The ribs 62 and 63 of the opposing body portions 41cooperate to form separating means between adjacent sector-likecavities.

In the sectional views shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 it can be readily seenthat material entering the outer passageways 55 and 56 is forced to flowout of the flow inverter through the passageways 45 and 46, through therecesses 61c and 61d and the recesses 61b and 61a, respectively, whilethe material entering the passageways 45 and 46 is forced to flow out ofthe outer passages 55 and 56 providing flow inversion in basically thesame manner as the embodiment set forth in FIG. 1. Generally flowinverters in accordance with the present invention can be made with anydesired number of openings in excess of two. However, it is generallydesirable that an even number of passages are being employed;vthat is,2, 4, 6, 8. If an odd number of passages is employed, generallyincreased pressure drop results.

As is apparent from the foregoing specification the 6 the precedingspecification and description. For this reason, it is to be fullyunderstood that all of the foregoing is intended to be merelyillustrative and is not to be construed or interpreted as beingrestrictive or otherwise limiting of the present invention.

What is claimed is:

l. A flow inverter, the flow inverter adapted to be disposed within aconduit, the flow inverter comprising first and second generally planarelements, each of the planar elements defining with the inner walls ofthe conduit at least a first or inner passage and a second or outerpassage, the planar elements a flow separating element disposed betweenthe first and second planar elements, being disposed in fixed spacedgenerally parallel relationship with the first element inner passagegenerally opposite the second element outer passage and the firstelement outer passage generally opposite the second element innerpassage,

a generally annular stream divider affixed to and extending generallyperpendicular to the first element and extending away from the secondelement, and at least a peripheral portion of the planar elementsadapted to engage the conduit.

2. The flow inverter of claim 1 having at least two first passagewaysand two second passageways in each of the planar elements.

3. The flow inverter of Claim 1 wherein the stream divider of the firstgenerally planar element is integral therewith and the second elementhas a like stream dividing element.

4. The flow inverter of claim 1 where the first and second generallyplanar elements each define two inner passageways and two outerpassageways.

5. A flow inverter of generally plate-like configuration adapted to beinserted in a conduit the flow inverter comprising first and secondgenerally planar elements forming said platelike inverter, each of theplanar elements defining at least a first and a second inner channel anda first and a second outer channel, the inner and outer channels of eachelement being generally diametrically opposed, the first and secondelements being fixed to each other in generally parallel relationshiptransverse to the flow in the conduit with the inner channels of thefirst element generally opposite the outer channels of the secondelement, each element having generally annular stream divider affixedthereto and extending generally perpendicular to the planar elements,the stream divider being remotely disposed from each other and each ofthe stream dividers encircling the inner channels, and at least aperipheral portion of the planar elements adapted to engage a conduit.

6. The flow inverter of claim 5 wherein the first and second planarelements are of like configuration.

7. The flow inverter of claim 6 including first and second rib membersgenerally diametrically disposed and oppositely disposed to the flowdividing means.

22 g UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION F b uar l2197 Patent No. 317911414 Dated e I Inventor(s) It is certified thaterror appears in the above-identified patent and that said LettersPatent are hereby corrected as shown below? "1 Column 3, line 66, theword "alternations" should be -a1terations-- I Column 4, line 15, after"passage," and before the word "the", there should be the phrase --aflow separating element disposed between the first and second planarelements,--. I I v Column 4, i5 ciaim 5-, line 57, the word "divider"should be -dividers Signed and sealed this lath day of June 197M.

(SEAL) Attest: I

EDWARD M.FLETCHER,JR.. c. MARSHALL DANN Attesting Officer 7 commissionenor Patents

1. A flow inverter, the flow inverter adapted to be disposed within aconduit, the flow inverter comprising first and second generally planarelements, each of the planar elements defining with the inner walls ofthe conduit at least a first or inner passage and a second or outerpassage, the planar elements a flow separating element disposed betweenthe first and second planar elements, being disposed in fixed spacedgenerally parallel relationship with the first element inner passagegenerally opposite the second element outer passage and the firstelement outer passage generally opposite the second eleMent innerpassage, a generally annular stream divider affixed to and extendinggenerally perpendicular to the first element and extending away from thesecond element, and at least a peripheral portion of the planar elementsadapted to engage the conduit.
 2. The flow inverter of claim 1 having atleast two first passageways and two second passageways in each of theplanar elements.
 3. The flow inverter of Claim 1 wherein the streamdivider of the first generally planar element is integral therewith andthe second element has a like stream dividing element.
 4. The flowinverter of claim 1 where the first and second generally planar elementseach define two inner passageways and two outer passageways.
 5. A flowinverter of generally plate-like configuration adapted to be inserted ina conduit the flow inverter comprising first and second generally planarelements forming said plate-like inverter, each of the planar elementsdefining at least a first and a second inner channel and a first and asecond outer channel, the inner and outer channels of each element beinggenerally diametrically opposed, the first and second elements beingfixed to each other in generally parallel relationship transverse to theflow in the conduit with the inner channels of the first elementgenerally opposite the outer channels of the second element, eachelement having a generally annular stream divider affixed thereto andextending generally perpendicular to the planar elements, the streamdivider being remotely disposed from each other and each of the streamdividers encircling the inner channels, and at least a peripheralportion of the planar elements adapted to engage a conduit.
 6. The flowinverter of claim 5 wherein the first and second planar elements are oflike configuration.
 7. The flow inverter of claim 6 including first andsecond rib members generally diametrically disposed and oppositelydisposed to the flow dividing means.